i just posted my new queen cells i saw today for the first time. my question is this; how can you tell by the look of the queen cell how old it is? TFBM on his videos tells you a queen is about to hatch and 5 seconds later she pops out or he will tell you it will come out in a day an hour or 3 days later? these queen cells i did not find on the 23rd but they could have been 2 or 3 days old then. i do not want to lose any of them but if i move them too early i may damage them?

09-30-2012, 04:30 PM

Oldtimer

Re: queen cell pictures?

They gradually take a darker, thicker, stronger look, and not too long before they hatch the bees remove surplus wax from the cap sometimes leaving the odd strand of silk visible. But only experience can properly teach you, rather than someting you read on the net.

If you need to move the cells, just do so, but very carefully. If they get bumped while being moved, they are less likely to be damaged if they are laying on their side, than if they are straight up and down.

09-30-2012, 05:53 PM

seamuswildflower

Re: queen cell pictures?

as of right they are not bullet shaped on the bottom as i have seen them as they are just about to hatch. i had a bunch that were stung from the side and they were bullet shaped on the bottom but not yet torn apart i moved them hoping they would be ok but the bees attached them to comb but tore the side out